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Saudi Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji received Ambassador of Somalia to the Kingdom Owais Haji Yusuf Ahmed in Riyadh on Wednesday.
During the meeting, they discussed topics of common interest and reviewed bilateral relations and ways to strengthen them in various fields.
Also on Wednesday, Elkhereiji received Ambassador of South Korea to the Kingdom Park Joon-young, who bid farewell to the Saudi minister on the occasion of the end of his term in Saudi Arabia.
The General Administration of the Mujahideen and Border Guard patrols successfully thwarted multiple smuggling attempts in Jazan and the Asir Region, seizing a total of 1,222 kg of qat.
Patrols in Jazan thwarted the smuggling of 507 kg of qat, and the confiscated items were transferred to the appropriate authorities after initial regulatory procedures.
Security regiments in the Asir Region also intercepted 240 kg of qat in the Al-Farsha Governorate.
In the Al-Raboah sector of the Asir Region, Border Guards arrested 11 Ethiopians attempting to smuggle 275 kg of qat.
Preliminary legal procedures were implemented, the suspects were arrested, and the seized drugs were handed over to the relevant authorities.
Border Guard patrols in the Al-Ardah sector of Jazan thwarted the smuggling of 200 kg of qat.
Initial regulatory procedures were promptly carried out, and the confiscated items were transferred to the authorities.
People are urged to report any information pertaining to drug smuggling or related activities.
RIYADH: Saudi Border Guards have thwarted an attempt to smuggle 79,700 narcotic tablets in the southern Jazan region.
Land patrols in Al-Dair sector in the region intercepted the drugs and transferred them to the appropriate authorities, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Saudi authorities urge members of the public to report any information connected to drug smuggling or related activities.
Reports can be made by contacting emergency numbers (911) in Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern regions or (999) in other regions of the Kingdom. Additionally, reports can be submitted to the General Directorate of Narcotics Control hotline (995) or via email at [email protected]. All reports will be handled with utmost confidentiality.
RIYADH: Three citizens have been arrested for violating the country’s environmental laws, with two held for illegal hunting of wildlife and one for arson, the Special Forces for Environmental Security announced on Sunday.
In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency, the SPES said its field patrols arrested Ahmed Suleiman Maqbool Al-Sharari and Zahir Dhaif Allah Muslim Al-Sharari for hunting without licenses inside the King Salman Royal Natural Reserve.
They were caught in possession of a firearm, live ammunition and a rabbit, according to the SPES.
The SPES said there is a $21,300 penalty for hunting without a license using firearms. In addition, there is a $1,330 fine for hunting during prohibited periods, and $4,790 for catching wild rabbits.
Covering an area of 130,000 sq. km, the KSRNR is Saudi Arabia’s largest natural reserve. Located in the Kingdom’s north near the border with Jordan, it is known for its geographic and heritage diversity, and rare monuments dating back to about 8,000 B.C.
In the arson case, the SPES said the arrested citizen — whose identity was not mentioned — was found to have set fire to vegetation cover in the northwestern province of Hail.
The agency said there were fines of up to $799 for setting fire to vegetation.
The SPES called on the public to help protect the environment by reporting violations to 911 in Makkah, Riyadh and the Eastern Province, and 999 and 996 in the rest of the Kingdom.
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s aid agency KSrelief said on Sunday it provided support for displaced families in Chad, Sudan and Yemen over the past few days.
In separate announcements reported by the Saudi Press Agency, the agency said it distributed 2,032 food baskets and 1,175 shelter kits for 19,668 people in the three countries.
In Chad, 1,400 food baskets were handed out in N’Djamena for 8,400 individuals, as a part of KSrelief’s food security project in the nation.
In Yemen, 632 food baskets were distributed in the Sheikh Othman district of Aden governorate for 4,424 individuals.
In Sudan, shelter kits were provided in several locations, including 320 in the Nile River State for 1,927 individuals; 455 in the Northern State for 2,617 people; and 400 in Khartoum State for 2,300 individuals.
“This initiative is part of a series of relief and humanitarian projects implemented by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia through KSrelief to assist the Sudanese people during their ongoing humanitarian crisis,” the SPA reported.
Since its inception in 2015, KSrelief has implemented 2,670 projects worth more than $6.5 billion in 95 countries, in cooperation with 175 local, regional and international partners.
According to a report by the agency, the bulk of the support has gone to Yemen ($4.3 billion), Syria ($391 million), Palestine ($370 million) and Somalia ($227 million).
KSrelief’s programs cover food security, health, sanitation, shelter, nutrition, education, telecommunications and logistics.
DHAHRAN: Dhahran was the big winner in the Saudi segment of the F1 in Schools National Championships powered by Aramco, with teams claiming first and fourth places in the competition held at the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, or Ithra, at the weekend.
The 2024 national champion title went to Dhahran’s Shaheen, second place to Al-Ahsa’s Venture, third to Riyadh’s Clad, and fourth — an additional award added for the first time — to Dhahran’s Oryx.
Winners will represent Saudi Arabia in a global competition due to take place in the Kingdom later this year.
The F1 in Schools competition is a globally recognized educational program that challenges students to design, build, and race miniature F1 cars. This year’s theme was “Overtake the Impossible.”
Maha Abdulhadi, head of F1 in Schools at Ithra, said in a statement: “With a shared commitment to serving as an incubator of education and youth empowerment, Ithra and F1 in Schools offer young people the knowledge and experiential spaces to develop their ambition and skills to create a bright future for themselves and their country.
• The F1 in Schools competition is a globally recognized educational program that challenges students to design, build, and race miniature F1 cars.
• Participating students, aged 15-16, were expected to use a STEAM-based (science, technology, engineering, art and math) learning program.
“We are excited to host these promising young students, their families and visitors from across the country as the competition shifts gears.”
Ithra’s Great Hall was transformed into an immersive hub on Saturday, with the focus on Formula 1 continuing until July 13.
Eight simulators will allow those over the age of 15 to test drive an F1 vehicle in real time. A VR experience also offers visitors an authentic taste of high-speed action.
On Saturday, students cheered when they saw their faces appear on screen during a “Day in the Life of F1 in Schools” video segment.
The ceremony also celebrated trainers and judges who had flown in from around the world, as well as local judges.
Students from different schools worked in groups for the past six months, developing prototypes under the supervision of 38 professionals.
Participating students, all 15 or 16 years of age, were expected to use a STEAM-based (science, technology, engineering, art and math) learning program, which combines both hard and soft skills.
Students were able to explore topics ranging from physics and aerodynamics to design, manufacturing, branding and graphics. They were also taught marketing and leadership skills, how to use social media effectively, and how to create a financial strategy.
This year, 120 students were split into 20 teams, with each team working out of a local hub. The cities of Dhahran, Al-Ahsa, Riyadh, Jeddah and Madinah returned this year, while Abha was added for the first time.
To demonstrate Ithra’s commitment to local culture, folk dancers from each of the six represented cities performed together on stage, while images of students working on their F1 projects were displayed in the background.
Ithra first partnered with F1 in Schools in 2021, and has been running the national level competition in Saudi Arabia, spearheading the launch of several learning hubs across the Kingdom to facilitate the training and development of students as part of the F1 challenge.
In 2023, Ithra hosted the country’s first F1 in Schools national finals, with 16 teams competing.
Andrew Denford, the founder and chairman of F1 in Schools, noted at the time that girls made up 68 percent of the participating students. Three of the teams went on to represent Saudi Arabia at that year’s world finals in Singapore, with the Oryx team from Dhahran winning the Innovative Thinking Award.
A large percentage of girls also took part in the competition this year, competing for 12 awards in categories ranging from fastest car and verbal presentation to sustainability.
In continuing with Ithra’s promotion of recycling, workshops created molds of cars by melting plastic bottle caps in a designated lab. Molds made specifically for F1 in Schools will be available all week.
Under the library’s escalator, a car made of 90 percent recycled or repurposed components, including 5,000 water bottles, steel and acrylic sheets, was placed on display. At least 12 people took about 1,500 hours to create the 120 kg vehicle.
The 10-day series of events will include interactive activities, as well as a paper car-making workshop, mixed reality pit garage, car Lego station, and talks with F1 experts.
Speaking at the award ceremony, David Howes, director of communication and events for F1 in Schools, said: “Having worked for F1 Esports since 2004, I’ve witnessed our global community grow from four countries to 62 today, and it really is an honor to be here in Saudi Arabia, not only to witness a national title, but to witness a world-class event, and most importantly, to see world-class teams competing.”
The fourth Formula 1 in Schools is now open for applicants. Students who qualify can apply via the Ithra website, where a full schedule of this week’s activities is also on view.
